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Des now into the mix to coach Manly again
Peter Peters
Little rest ... Manly’s Martin Taupau is off to England after today’s New Zealand-Australia Test in Auckland. Picture Braden Fastier
Support for Hasler to come back with announcement imminent
TWO-TIME premiership -winning Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler will return from an overseas holiday tomorrow straight into the eye of the club’s coaching storm.
Hasler’s name has been thrown into what is a coaching whirlpool at Manly where the club is desperately trying to stop the bleeding over the impasse with current coach Trent Barrett and name his successor.
The Sea Eagles have closed ranks but it is understood an announcement will be made in the next week so the new coach can prepare for the start of summer training in the first week of November.
Hasler has had a break from coaching for 12 months after a controversial exit from his job at the Canterbury Bulldogs. He joined the Dogs immediately after guiding Manly to the 2011 premiership.
While he left in controversial circumstances — and had his papers marked never to return by some — it seems there is now some support for his return but with strict guidelines when it comes to salary cap issues.
Assistant coach John Cartwright remains very much in the mix, with support coming strongly from the senior playing group.
Cartwright has never wavered from the fact he would jump at the opportunity to become a head coach again if Barrett left.
COACHING CAPERS
MANLY are red-faced over the coaching conjecture — particularly as they had gone down a path to sign former Souths coach Michael Maguire who went public with his refusal.
Suggestions Jason Taylor was in the frame were not right and he has come out and said as much.
The other out-of-work coach mentioned as a likely candidate, Neil Henry, has not received an approach.
Former coach Geoff Toovey is another name mentioned and he has put his hand up publicly to offer his services to lead the club out of its current dismal position.
Toovey is a legend of the club and there is no doubt the Sea Eagles need to do more in respecting the great history of the club.
OFFICIAL SNUB
THIS year, more than ever, there has been a breakaway from links to the past, culminating in no officials or staff from the Sea Eagles attending the recent reunion of the great 1978 side, which won six finals games in 24 days to win the premiership.
That snub did not go unnoticed from Manly godfather Ken Arthurson, who attended the reunion at Manly Leagues Club.
Arthurson is a supporter of someone with a strong link to the club to be the person to lead Manly off the bottom end of the table.
“We always go better with a Manly person in charge — history proves that on and off the field,” he said.
LATE INTRODUCTIONS
MARTIN Taupau will not come face to face with his new Manly coach until well into January.
Taupau will be off to England after today’s Auckland Test match against Australia for the Kiwis’ tour of England, which involves three Tests against a Wayne Bennett-coached England.